Six Nations: Harris wants to join No 10s tradition

Iestyn Harris is adamant that he will become a player fit to wear the coveted red number 10 shirt and follow in the rich tradition of Wales fly-halves.

The 25-year-old convert from rugby league, branded a £1.5m (€2.4m) union misfit by some critics, could not have had a tougher Six Nations fly-half baptism than Saturday’s 50-10 mauling at the hands of England at Twickenham.

But Harris showed the staying power he will need by coming up with his team’s solo try in the closing stages and pledged: ‘‘I will just get on with my own game and I know if I do things right I am going to be good enough to wear the number 10 jersey for Wales.’’

He was plunged in at the deep end when Stephen Jones suffered a back spasm and said: ‘‘I had time to prepare myself because I knew from early in the week that Stephen was struggling.’’

After figuring prominently in Wales’ aggressive, but short-lived, opening attacking burst, Harris inevitably succumbed to the pressure which engulfed the whole team.

His midfield tackling was put to the test as England powered forward, his field kicking had to be executed instantly before he was nailed and his kicking at the re-starts following the frequent England scores was scrutinised harshly for being too deep.

But Harris came through to last the distance and emerge with all Wales’ 10 points, including his first international try in union.

‘‘It’s nice to get the first try,’’ he said while admitting that both he and Wales have a long way to go to reach the standards they desire which are, basically, the ones England possess.

‘‘When we had the ball I thought we did some good stuff but when a team like England have that much ball you are going to run out of steam. They played exceptionally well.

‘‘The way we started off was the way we wanted to play all the way through but things didn’t go that way. They are an exceptional side and they kept winning the early ball. It’s difficult when they keep coming and coming at you with phase after phase,’’ he said.

Harris, singing from the same hymn sheet as Wales coach Steve Hansen, whose often-repeated desire is just that his squad should work hard and show improvement from match to match, insisted that there are positives to be gained even when you have shipped more than 50 points.

‘‘We can take a lot out of the game, go back and work hard and hopefully improve. We have the game against Scotland in two weeks time and we must just work hard and do better.’’

Harris accepts he is unlikely to retain the number 10 shirt for that match - in which Wales will be without centre Andy Marinos who badly dislocated a finger - as Jones is expected to be fit to return but has always believed that it would take him 18 months to settle into union after moving to Cardiff from Leeds Rhinos last year.

‘‘Stephen Jones is playing exceptionally well and if I don’t get the call I won’t be too disappointed as I’m still learning the game.

‘‘All I want to do at the moment is play as many matches as I can. I know I still have a hell of a lot to learn at this game. Eventually I will get to know the position inside out and I am getting there slowly.’’

Coach Hansen, who replaced Graham Henry after the calamitous 54-10 defeat by Ireland seven weeks ago, knows his whole squad is facing a stiff learning curve if Wales to return to former glories.

In the build-up to Twickenham, the New Zealander, said that the England game would tell him where Wales stood in global terms. Asked that question after the match, he replied: ‘‘Certainly not in the top five in the world.’’

But he insisted: ‘‘Even though the scores were similar, it was a completely different performance from the Ireland game. The players showed desire this time. The one thing I would say for our blokes is that they stuck to their task.

‘‘The style England are playing is great and we have to strive to play a similar type of game. You can do anything if you strive hard enough.’’